God Cares
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A volunteer fire department was fighting the blaze engulfing Julia Campbell’s cousin’s barn. As he watched, he dialed his insurance company on his mobile phone, but there was no answer. In frustration he asked out loud, “How come my agent is never there when I need him?” At that moment, one of the firefighters tapped him on the shoulder and said, “It’s because I’m right here, putting out the fire!”
Many times you and I think God’s not here for us – you call and call but it seems He doesn’t answer! The truth is He’s right here with you helping to put out the fires in your life!
We’re in the midst of our sermon series Overcoming the Giant of Fear. Last week we learned Jesus can calm any storm and every storm you and I face in life. The disciples in the midst of their storm, accused Jesus of not caring! Some times – maybe many times – we’re just like those guys.
Does God really care about you? Well 1 Peter 5:7 tells us He does…6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
I love the way the AMP translates it: 6 Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, 7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
I want you to consider 4 things this morning regarding how much God cares about you. 1st of all…
1. GOD CREATED YOU. (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 139:13-16; Rev. 4:11)
1. GOD CREATED YOU. (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 139:13-16; Rev. 4:11)
- In Gen. 1:26-28 we’re told…
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
- We learn that God created you in His image meaning you have the capacity to have a personal relationship with God! No other part of God’s creation has this capacity.
- What this means is you are special and God wants to fellowship with you!
- In Psalm 139:13-16 David expresses…
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
- God is the One who formed us in the womb – and fearfully and wonderfully made us - and He is the One who numbers our days – has ordained our days.
- And in Rev. 4:11 we read…
“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
- Here we learn that God is the One who has created everything and because of His will everything was created = this means that when He created you, you were created because of His will.
- Undstd today: You are no accident in the universe – you’ve been created by Almighty God because He wants to have a close relationship with you! This is how much He cares for you!
TS – 2nd…
2. GOD SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR YOU. (1 John 4:9-10; John 3:16)
2. GOD SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR YOU. (1 John 4:9-10; John 3:16)
- 1 John 4:9-10 says…
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
- And John 3:16 declares…
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
- God sending His Son Jesus into this world to die for you, demonstrates His love and care for you! He did for you what you never could’ve done for yourself.
TS – 3rd…
3. GOD ADOPTED YOU INTO HIS FAMILY. (John 1:12-13; Galatians 4:4-5)
3. GOD ADOPTED YOU INTO HIS FAMILY. (John 1:12-13; Galatians 4:4-5)
- John 1:12-13 says…
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
- Galatians 4:4-5 says…
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
- 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
- He has taken you in and made you a part of His family, the family of God!
TS – 4th…
4. GOD IS PRESENT AND KNOWS YOU. (Psalm 139:1-10, 23-24; Psalm 23)
4. GOD IS PRESENT AND KNOWS YOU. (Psalm 139:1-10, 23-24; Psalm 23)
- Psalm 139:1-10 says…
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
- Psalm 23 says…
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
- This is how much God cares for you! He is with you at all times – never leaves or forsakes you.
Conclusion
Joni Eareckson Tada was severely injured in a diving accident on July 30, 1967, when she was 17 years old. She dove into the Chesapeake Bay after misjudging the shallowness of the water and suffered a fracture between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae and became a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down. During her two years of rehabilitation, according to her autobiography, Joni says she experienced anger, depression, suicidal thoughts, and religious doubts. However, during her occupational therapy, she learned to paint with a brush between her teeth and began selling her artwork. She then began writing this way, although for most writing tasks she relies on voice recognition software. Joni has written over forty books, recorded several musical albums, and starred in an autobiographical movie of her life. And she’s a great advocate for people with disabilities.
Joni makes this great observation regarding Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 and 10 about sparrows. She says I glanced at the bird feeder and smiled. I could understand Jesus noticing if an eagle or falcon or hawk fell to the ground. Those are the important birds He created, the kind worth attending to. But a scrappy sparrow? They're a dime a dozen—Jesus said so Himself.
Yet from thousands of bird species, the Lord chose the most insignificant, least-noticed, scruffiest bird of all. A pint-sized thing that even dedicated bird-watchers ignore.
That thought alone calmed my fears. I felt significant and noticed. Because if God takes note of each humble sparrow—who they are, where they are, and what they are doing—I know He keeps tabs on me.
Friend you can be assured today that the Mighty God of the Universe who keeps tabs on the humble sparrows of His creation KEEPS TABS ON YOU! He cares. Don’t let the evil one lead you to believe any thing different!